WASHINGTON (CNN) - The FBI is celebrating its’ 100th anniversary Saturday, but it is unlikely that Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, will be sending a card or baking a cake. Grassley remains one of the bureau's harshest critics in Congress.

While the Iowa senator is quick to praise agents in the field, he says, over the years that when problems crop up at the FBI, "It's been when headquarters has been interfering with the local agents."

Grassley charges that the FBI remains locked in turf battles with other federal law enforcement agencies such as the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.

FBI Director Robert Mueller has repeatedly told Congress that the bureau has greatly improved its information sharing and cooperation with other federal agencies since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. But Grassley says the bureau still has a "Pac-Man mentality" - intent on gobbling up the jurisdiction of other agencies.

Grassley concedes the FBI deserves credit, because there's not been another terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 2001, but the senator also insists there's room for the FBI to transform itself from a crime-solving agency into one that is capable of averting terror threats of the 21st Century.

soundoff(13 Responses)

Man, first our government is messed up and now the FBI??? And this is what you call small government??? Can someone give me the DOJ(Department of Justice) number???

July 25, 2008 01:56 pm at 1:56 pm |

Bob Indianapolis, IN

SO will there be photos of J. Edgar Hoover and Clyde Tolson in drag? Letting the Mafia flourish for thirty years...swell legacy!

July 25, 2008 02:03 pm at 2:03 pm |

Griff

Sleeper's will always be the problem, in all Securfity.. Vet, is the Word.

July 25, 2008 02:09 pm at 2:09 pm |

hillbilly,arkansas

they have not had sufficient leadership from the executive branch.perhaps we need a little 'change',in the presidency?

July 25, 2008 02:11 pm at 2:11 pm |

hello

If america elect John MaCain as president I have no problem he is a good person, but make sure to give abosolute majority to democrats in congress and I mean 67 vote in senate, and defeat all that special interest Republican senator.who still believe in deregulation and think that rise in oil price is supply and demand.

July 25, 2008 02:16 pm at 2:16 pm |

Griff

There can be no real security, in a Super-Power the size of the USA. When there is a Media, sitting waiting to destroy their own Security. For an extra Buck..,

July 25, 2008 02:35 pm at 2:35 pm |

Monica for Obama in Indiana

From the mouth of a republican good ole boy

July 25, 2008 02:44 pm at 2:44 pm |

EBC

The FBI are nothing but fumbling fools right now. They are NOT part of the solution, they are part of the bigger problems. We have a government that does NOT share information and has too many people with BIG EGOS that are NOT doing their jobs the way they are suppose to.

The Justice Department is nothing but a joke, Homeland Security is nothing but a bull in a crystal shop, and all the other law enforcement agencies are so full of themselves that they are NOT communicating and sharing information. Everyone is in it for themselves. Everyone wants to be chief....

It's a darn shame we have an Administration who had done nothing but run our law enforcement agencies amuck!! Bush, Cheney, Rumsflield, Rowe, Gonzales, etc. They were all HEAD GANGSTERS running this country into the ground while stroking their big egos all they way through!!!

I've been so ASHAMED and ANGERD by this Administration. They have proven to the world that we are NO better than the terrorist we seek. We have a White House who behaves like they are "ABOVE THE LAW".... and we have people like Karl Rowe who should be six feet under the jail cell walking around making millions talking crap and giving our government the finger every chance he gets!!!

I know people around the world must think our Administration and White House are nothing but a joke. Just look at all the protests George Bush gets whenever he's overseas..... Just look at his ratings which has sunken so low you can't even count it anymore! ha! ha!

July 25, 2008 03:53 pm at 3:53 pm |

ex republican

Why is the oil spill in the gulf being covered up by the media? To protect mcCANE?

July 25, 2008 04:09 pm at 4:09 pm |

Rielley, WA

The FBI may be somewhat underhanded, but I trust them more than the CIA or the NSA. John McCrazy will only allow more underhandedness if he is elected.

July 25, 2008 04:25 pm at 4:25 pm |

Willy

Let's celebrate by having the FBI investigate the democrats in Congress. They are getting paid by my tax dollars and not doing a thing but trying to grandstand till Jan 2009.

July 25, 2008 04:58 pm at 4:58 pm |

Jeff

Do they know what happens to people in private industry do nto follow the plan? They are fired. Pure and simple.

There people obstructing the integration of knowledge to fight terrorism simply to protect something like "turf" need to be fired.

Sounds like someone is suffering from testosterone poisoning.

July 25, 2008 05:06 pm at 5:06 pm |

ex republican

john "oil spill" mcCANE will give the FBI every power that they ask for.